At first it might look like it's just for kids, but jessica jahiel has written lots of horsemanship boks for adults. All of them recommend helmets.also, many of these stories feature adults.

I am NOT trying to take over your life. I am NOT saying people who don't wear helmets are stupid. I am just saying that a helmet can save your life and you should wear one. But it's still your business. So I will not nag, force you to read this, or force you to wear a helmet. It's your choice and your life. Don't piss off please.

I voted for 'leave me alone', although I've worn a helmet all the time for the last 2 years.

I rode a little when visiting ranches 30 years ago, and I don't think anyone even thought about a helmet. I took jumping lessons for a few months (until the military transferred me) 25 years ago, and the subject never came up - although I'll admit, the 'lessons' were horrible...just get on the horse and try to jump and see what happens.

At 52, I wear a helmet because I relax more when I do so. But anecdotal evidence isn't worth much. The one time I fell off a horse, I did so without a helmet. I landed 12 inches from a bunch of jagged rocks. My hip is still sore, but my head was fine - does that mean I should wear hip pads instead of a helmet? If I had landed 2 feet over, my back would have slammed into jagged rocks 18+ inches across, probably breaking my back. Does that mean I should wear a body protector every time I ride? Does a cracked helmet mean your skull would have cracked, or that the plastic did? Your noggin is actually pretty tough.

I posted a thread last week about stirrup position. I've been told since I first tried riding that the stirrup went on the ball of the foot because otherwise your foot would get caught in the stirrup...but then I read that steeplechase riders, polo riders, cutters and others ride with the foot 'home' in the stirrup. That is some pretty vigorous riding to do if that position means a fall will result in your being drug. I looked for statistics, but couldn't find any.

I understand that a horse can go ballistic at any time. After all, I'm teaching myself to ride by buying Arabians and riding - believe me, I KNOW. If safety was my goal, I'd stay on the ground. And a helmet? Well, I wear one 99% of the time. But I'm really tired of the idea that everything needs to be safe. In the 60s, I tried riding my bicycle off the roof. Don't recommend it to anyone, but all it got me was, "That hurt, didn't it - bet you won't try that again!"

My parents, and most of the parents I knew back then, were of the "If the blood isn't squirting, and the bone isn't poking out, you aren't REALLY hurt" school of thought. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I miss that approach to life.

I voted for stop trying to take over my life and didn't read the link. I have heard every argument there is and one more is not going to change my mind. I get very tired of these postings but decided to vote anyway :)

It's interesting that Jessica posted those stories, but I couldn't find any statistics. Personally if I'd be her, I'd try to get statistics first and publish on top of page, and then all those stories. This way it would make more sense (even from research point of view).

Honestly, a biased website about why a helmet will save my life (which is not completely true given that I've had a riding friend die from a head injury WITH a helmet, so that puts that arguement to shame) is not going to do anything but make me want to wear one less. I'm tired of people telling me that I should wear a helmet. For one, it's not typical where I live. If you get caught with a helmet (unless you're like..five years old) you get made fun of. I get told I shouldn't care, but I ride Western and the last thing I want to be called is a sissy. No thanks. Secondly, some of the disciplines I compete in REQUIRE a western styled cowboy hat. I'd much prefer my comfortable ball caps and cowboy hats to some oversized bubble on my head.

If you want to wear a helmet, that's your business. But, no one has any right to tell me whether or not I need to wear a helmet. After all, we are getting on 800+lb free thinking animals. We give up most of our safety the second we get within touching distance of them. If I wanted to be a safe-sally then I would take up knitting as a hobby (no offense to the knitters out there).

Okay. I made it VERY CLEAR that I am not forcing you to wear a helmet. If threads like this make you mad, DON'T READ THEM. Simple. I was more interested to see what you think of the site than hear you blab about how much you hate helmets, etc, etc, etc.

Okay. I made it VERY CLEAR that I am not forcing you to wear a helmet. If threads like this make you mad, DON'T READ THEM. Simple. I was more interested to see what you think of the site than hear you blab about how much you hate helmets, etc, etc, etc.

Ahh, deepest apologies. I went back and re-read my post and came off very defensive. I wasn't talking that way about you specifically, just kind of in general about people constantly trying to persuade others to wear a helmet. Honestly, if someone else were to ask me if I think they should wear a helmet or not, I'm going to tell them yes. Myself, though, it's just not a preference of mine.

I've never understood the huge push for helmets. Personally, I've never even ridden without one. (Not that that's allowed where I board anyway) Although I like riding the more challenging horses, and if I didn't wear a helmet there's a good chance I would be either dead or seriously injured by now. However I think it's whatever people are comfortable with. As some people pointed out, if you're getting on a free-thinking animal, whether you are wearing a helmet or not you are at risk to get hurt. Can a helmet save you? Sure. But at the same time it might not. Anyways, just thought I'd give my opinion :)

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